The Northwest Territories government reported that the majority of newly hired Indigenous individuals following the revision of the affirmative action policy are local residents. The new Indigenous employment policy, implemented in April last year, classifies Indigenous candidates as either stage one or stage two priority hires based on their ancestral ties to the region.
Stage one priority hires encompass Indigenous applicants who are members or descendants of First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities within the present boundaries of the Northwest Territories. On the other hand, stage two priority hires include Indigenous candidates from regions outside of the N.W.T.
Since the policy’s inception, the territory has recruited nearly 1,000 individuals. Among the 983 hires, 226 were identified as stage one priority hires, while 34 were classified as stage two. In the previous fiscal year, only 196 Indigenous workers were hired.
Before the affirmative action policy change, Indigenous representation within the territorial government hit a record low percentage. Despite comprising around half of the territory’s population, Indigenous individuals made up approximately 29 percent of the public service workforce at that time.
In a recent update, the territory announced a surge in Indigenous hiring post-policy shift, with the Indigenous employment rate now exceeding 33 percent. However, some Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have voiced concerns about whether the policy truly benefits N.W.T. Indigenous residents.
MLA George Nerysoo, representing Mackenzie Delta, expressed that despite the reported boost in Indigenous hiring, he has not seen the benefits reflected in his community. Nerysoo highlighted the need for the program to support qualified residents from Fort McPherson who have completed university education.
Similarly, MLA Kieron Testart of Range Lake in Yellowknife mentioned that his constituents have not experienced advantages from the policy. Testart emphasized the importance of reinstating benefits for non-Indigenous northerners and stressed the necessity of enhancing educational opportunities for Indigenous individuals across the Northwest Territories.